Shadow and Moon prosper upon the mountain
Participants Yukan Uzumaki Shiro Kurama Role-Play Log Heki: It had been a few weeks since the encounter in Konoha. There, on the training grounds, Shiro met an unknown adversary of great agility and stealth, one that he wouldn't ever forget thanks to the scar left on his left pectoral. The importance of using one's surroundings to the advantage would forever remain a crucial part of Shiro's strategy after this encounter, more so than before. And it showed upon this day as all five members of G.H.O.S.T were skillfully hid in the branches of large oaks that stood aside a dirt road. In the distance hooves were heard, no more than four pairs, and they approached slowly. The wind picked up the scent of a trader in strong spices that were worth alot on the current market. In Shiro's eyes filling the belly of a poor man was more important than putting salt on the meat of a rich man. He lowered a branch to peer between leaves and spotted a pair of shinobi guards accompanying the merchant who used two cow-like animals to carry his goods. The leaves beside him rustled and Shiro looked aside to watch Kenshi's completely bald face. "You take the left one, Ken." And with that everything was said that needed to be said. The tree shook as the bulky Kenshi leaped out like a wild gorilla, bashing the ground with both fists on his landing while releasing a dose of earth chakra through the ground. The surface was ruptured as if an earthquake tore it apart, causing one of the cows to fall down together with a guard. A few pillars of rock then arose from the crack in a row towards the final guard that managed to jump away just in time while throwing three kunai into Kenshi's chest. The tall teenager fell to his knees while grunting and pulled the weapons free while a white flash crossed the battlefield. Within the blink of an eye Shiro had circled around the final guard and chopped off the man's hand before he could throw a fourth kunai at Kenshi. Blood squirted out of the wound and covered the white-haired leader of G.H.O.S.T in crimson. Another slash saw to the removal of the guards head after which Shiro gently placed his foot against the corpse and pushed it down the ravine. "Can you still manage to clo-" But before asking Kenshi to close the deep crack, Shiro saw that the trustworthy companion had begun executing the technique before the question was asked. "Very well th--." Again Shiro was interupted. This time.... Noises came from far away. The sound of feet hitting the floor in rapid succesion. A large number of individuals was approaching. Very large. And though still but a novice in the skill of chakra sensing, Shiro knew one thing for sure. "All of you, take Kenshi and the spices then disperse immediatly." The 15 year old gave the command as if he were an experienced general that stood amidst chaotic fields of warfare. And none questioned his authority. Within seconds Shiro was standing alone atop a scar on the surface of earth, surrounded by blood and small heaps of spices here and there. Another ten seconds later. Shiro was surrounded by three dozen of Shinobi, some of which were with the ANBU. "Hmm." He said in soft voice. "It seems like the odds are in my favor today." Heki: Steel clashed for mere seconds before the battle was finished and there stood but one victorious party on these grounds just outside Iwagakure. The young man with long white hair was seen face down on the ground in a puddle of blood. His eyes were expressionless with the lids pulled back completely. Trapped in a genjutsu that caused him to see his own death time after time. Yet deep inside his mind, facing the horrors, Shiro was forever stoic and uttered not a word nor moan or shout. He was calm in the face of his end. "I worry not. For the crossing of our paths is unavoidable. The sooner it comes, the more bloodshed will be spared. Or perhaps, you, Death, are doing the world wrong by claiming this soul." And again he witnessed his own demise. It continued for three days before he was free'd of this mental torture. And it took another two for him to fully recuperate. Whoever had put him under was no lowly user of Genjutsu. This felt like the work of a pro. Be it as it may, Shiro had no more time to think. He barely made out his suroundings to be a cell before four guards escorted him out. Thats when he found out he was hand-cuffed and passed out again. An hour or so later Shiro was dragged to the Kage's doors and two of the guards introduced their group. "Squad 4 brings you the ill-reputed leader of G.H.O.S.T." At which the men all began to smirk and laugh. "Just some brat." Said another. Keru: It would be a brisk and cold day in the month of December it was almost the turn of the year and the Kage, Yukan Uzumaki was finishing his quarterly paper work because unlike his other Kage counterparts he handled his work in large bunches every 3 months devoting two weeks to straight work. So this was the last day in which his paperwork stack had almost shorted to about 10 to 12 visible slips of papers and or packets. Yukan’s eyes were almost completely devoid of any substance of character. He was looking over and economical agreement with the land of iron over some rare metal and mixed substances that they are able to gather from the various cavernous areas in said region. Said agreement had within it stated “Lord Tsuchikage-Sama, if we are to make any agreement on the status of a supply route between the two vast lands first you must agree to give us slight military support with a personal rotating about every two months just to make sure your men can come home when intended. Also we expect recompense for all of our precious metals which you should have already seen coming. We expect about 10,000 yen delivered to us by the ending of this year, which with your position and status in the Uzumaki clan said money should come like water towards it ending point of the ocean. Sincerely Iron Ambassador Tatakashi Nobunda.” Yukan would smirk reaching under his desk into the large secret compartment and he pulled out 10,000 yen and placed it into a envelope along with the signed paper. Afterwards he gripped it with abit of anger and he weaved a few hand signs while touching the envelope and his intelligence was nearly unmatched he did such a juvenile jutsu it wouldn’t be caught even by the most experienced. He used transformation technique on half of the 10,000 yen removing the real 5,000 and putting it back into his desk’s secret compartment he laughed to himself and leaned into his chair. “Sometimes people never learn do they?” Once he sat back up his door was barged in through and what came through was his personal ANBU squad and a white hair boy who seemed to be about teenage possibly chunnin level. Yukan would stare and begin to take in his features noteing his shoddy appearance meaning he must’ve given the ANBU a run for their money. Yukan have deep colored brunette eye color but it was always in a downward slant and his expression was always prevalent with the nonchalant emotion. Within Yukan’s head his subconscious began to speak. “Oh god another vigilante just exactly what I needed on my soon to be day off, Jesus fucking Christ does this village ever cease to amaze?” Then his entire train of thought was soon cut off by the mentioning of the name G.H.O.S.T he stood slightly taller in his seat leaning his large upper body over his desk and his lips curving upwards in glee. Yukan gestured the ANBU to bring the boy closer, “Cut the hair from his face, I prefer to look a man, a boy, whatever he or she is in the eye.” The ANBU did as told taking a kunai to his bangs which covered his battered body and cut them. Yukan began to speak with a firm and deep tone a undertone of mystery behind his voice. “So what exactly brings you to my office seems you’ve been put in your place. Care to tell me why G.H.O.S.T has decided to grace my royal ears?” His foot slowly began to tap in a erythematic fashion this making the ANBU frightened since they knew usually what came during this odd process. But only from the glass he reflected could he find out the real answer.- Heki: He flinched and clamped together his teeth as he heard the raw shaving of steel against hair. Long locks of hair fell down to the ground in what looked like a pile of light silver threads. Then the boys face hardened and with a furrowed brow he looked up. His face was most unusual, almost angelic, with skin more pure than the clouds and a facial structure that would make either gender beautiful. His eyes were deep and carried a soul that seemed centuries old. Slowly the orbs raised to meet those of the Kage, who had a calm, composed, and slightly arrogant look to him. For a moment Shiro was taken aback by the strong presence, yet the fierce look on his face remained; a look that he didn't often displayed. "Tell me what happened to my friends, and I'll will talk." The tapping of the Kage's foot continued to fill the room in an eerie sense and Shiro noticed the ANBU's grip weakening and grow cold with fear. Using that to his advantage the youth quickly got up to his feet and quickly moved behind the closest ANBU who's touch he had felt earlier. With one clean, quick, jerk the chains were lowered down the man's neck and pulled back hard to cut off any possibility of breathing. Shiro fell back against the wall with the ANBU standing up against him, struggeling against the strangulation. "I won't ask again. Even if it costs me my life." But a sudden headbutt made quick work of whatever plans the teenager may have had. Twenty minutes later he'd come back to conciousness again, tied up to a chair with about 10 yards of rope, and the ANBU that almost suffocated never took his eyes off the kid again. "I'll tell you one thing.... Kage." The boy's voice was light and lacking every expression save that of a narcisist. "G.H.O.S.T is where you aren't." Keru: Yukan would simply stare in the child’s eyes the enormous amount of chakra he possessed forming a slight crackle of power in his eye socket after so he would smile as the tapping of the foot continued its course each tap getting slower and slower. Yukan shifted back from his bent position and placed both of his hands into the opposing gilded sleeve in his silk Kage robe. His eyes would temporarily flicker over to his personal squad of ANBU giving off a slight nod which had no actual meaning but Yukan played plenty of mind games to get where he needed to go. Yukan’s neck would bend itself to the left the cracking of his vertebrae bouncing off the fairly thin walls or so it seemed. Proceeding the minute of silence he allowed to build a quite thick amount of tension he then spoke his voice this time hitting a lower decibel making him seem more intimidating. “Youth, they never know when to place their energy. Such a wasted effort. Your friends are in my control that’s all you need to know Mr. Man.” Once the assailant made a move he made a single hand seal with such tenacious speed not even the best of naturally trained eyes could see it. Yukan then softly uttered between his lips. “Earth Release: Bed Rock Coffin.” Then right beneath the youth’s feet a large portion of rock appeared from two sides around his ankles. They proceeded to take a tight grip and begin to compress and tighten against said ankle completely locking him into place. Yukan would shut his eyes for a mere few seconds before finally rising from his chair and taking a long strides back and forth in front of the Youth. The ANBU now backed up against the walls of the room seeing as they wanted no part of what was going to occur, Yukan would stop mid leg lift and turn to the north eastern most corner and he barked out to one of the ANBU. “Get them.” Swiftly as those words were uttered his large bear paw of a hand covered over the child’s eyes so he could not see the exact location his friends exited from. The ANBU brought out 4 other children in Earth handcuffs and each looked bloody and battered to the furthest extent one was even crying silently to himself the tears running along the floor. Yukan would remove the hand from his eyes then forcefully gripped his jaw and yanked it into the direction of his G.H.O.S.T comrades. Afterwards a firm hand infused with a good amount of chakra would slam itself into the Chinese meridian located in the shoulder this would dislocate it completely and cause the left side of his body to go on a downwards slump. Afterwards he continued to pace as he know spoke with a almost serene tone, having no care in the world and his mind being clear of all of the day’s gutter funk. “There are your friends now speak, You believe G.H.O.S.T is where I am not. Liars make up dreams that were never real and make them fake, so what does that make you Mr. Man?” Yukan continued his pacing course both of his hands ending up behind his back as he hummed a tune played by the local town bard of his mis-adventures. The ANBU in the back of the room murmured to one another. “By god, Kage-Sama is a scary site to behold, how can he hold such composure in situations like this? Heki: The force by which earth compressed itself into an extremely dense mass around the ankles made it all too clear that escape was far beyond an option at this point. Wheels were ever turning as the words of the Kage continued to echo through the inside of Shiro's mind. // In his control. Alive or dead. I must find out...// His mind was too fixated on his allies, he knew this, but without allies he wasn't going to realize his dreams. He needed them however weak some of them where. Or didn't he.... After all. In the end everyone is replaceable. Shiro now looked up with a blank expression save for a playful smile that was most charming to behold, even as he heard the words "Get them." and felt a strong hand over his face there was no shifting in posture. The forced darkness was removed a little while later after footsteps had betrayed the portrait that unfolded in front of Shiro's eyes. Kenshi and the three other teenaged members of G.H.O.S.T shoot shivering and crying like any child would after such a tremendous beating. "I find it amusing. How you fear mere children like that enough to handcuff the---." BOOM! Like thunder the Kage's hand struck Shiro and immediately dislocated his shoulder while making the left side of his body go weak. At which he growled out in pain before exhaling loudly... Softer with each breath, until he was calm again even though in extreme pain. Shiro's mind was no stranger to torture, for he lived with it every day, and even now in these mental and physical conditions he kept up somewhat of a calm facade that masked the reality of fearing life and pain. "I do not believe. I am quite sure." Talking was hard for the kid, which resulted in forced panting between words. "The balance of equality is shifting in the favor of those born lucky. Is a mountain not to take care of all stones no matter the size? For in an avalanche even the smallest pebble counts." Keru: Yukan would allow him to speak his entire statement once it fully passed through his ears he continued to pace back and forth in front of his large desk his wooden sandals making a large and distinct clacking sound against the wooden floor. Yukan would then turn him in a 180 fashion the edge hem of his Kage rob would flutter against the surprise force the endings of it having accent by a combination of red and white decaled flames since Iwagakure’s known shinobi color was in fact red. Yukan spoke almost too rapid of the tongue that his jaw line couldn’t keep up with the movement of his pink colored lips. “Funny how you speak of the mountain as if it doesn’t see all, if you think I do not see the pebbles then explain how you and your vagabond group still having housing and food in your stomachs? How was I able to keep your family home from being taken from Shiro?” Yukan had known his name all along seeing as his mother was once acquainted with him in his younger days of shinobi life. But he wasn’t going to give him this full information as the curiousness would surely bring him barreling back to him. Yukan then stop and squatted right in front of him, being completely face to face. Man to man. “So tell me Shiro, is this whole serade just a coup to cover up the whole your family’s death created in here?” Yukan would stop mid sentence and placed a his large firm hand against his slanted chest, while doing so he turned his hand and pressed his palm against it he looked up into the ceiling with a question mark esc look on his face as if he was looking for an answer to something. After a solid minute he would pull said hand away and he began to bounce whilst still on his knees staring in his face. “No one in Iwa is homeless, no one is starving, our poor rate is almost 1 percent. The mountain carries all the burden of each level of earth but everything has apparent cracks even the pebbles you claim I care not about. My mind and my heart are to this place, and you judge with nothing solid to run off of. So if you want to run a group to help protect this village like per say the ANBU does.” Yukan would stand up and grab his head, his fingers digging into his head to get a solid grip and he brought him onto his feet. “Then you need to empty yourself of all the cobwebs that stiffen that thing within your chest, or you will never become the man your parents had hoped you would be.” Yukan let go of all grip the ANBU almost in shock a thick and tense air flowing through the room once the boy was release they thought he was going to end his miserable life. But the Kage was not heartless and he knew when to take advantage of things that could benefit everyone this was one of said situations. One of his friends that was on the ground crying began to cry visibly louder and he stuttered over his words. “I just want someone to care for me like I do for everyone else!!” He yell was muffled in-between deep breaths of snot and tear water, Yukan would once again sit down in his chair and he placed his hand on the table slowly pulling out a blank piece of parchment paper and he diligently began to write things in ink. Heki: Twas true what the Kage said. Yet Shiro was in no way looking surprised. The reason he had came here today, that G.H.O.S.T had done what it had done, it was all to come under the attention of the Kage. All was to be revealed soon enough. "Very well then. I know everything I need to know. You are indeed with honor and just, and you do treat all well. But I had to draw your attention one way or the other. Plus some guards were getting slackish." They were now eye to eye, the shadow overwhelming the child of the moon, untill the shadow looked up at which Shiro replied "Those cracks in which pebbles fall, are those most crucial. For a crack creates a weak point that is left vunerable to true enemies unlike myself.". A soft smile graced the youths face as he was pulled up on his feet. The power of the Kage's fingers felt skull-crushing, yet the following words hit Shiro harder than any of the rough treatment. "Empty myself of the cobwebs...." He walked over to the sobbing child on hand and knees that was covered in all kinds of fluids. "Cobwebs and the weakest links in the chain will all be finished as time proceeds." Shiro crouched down beside the youth and smashed his head into the ground to knock him out cold and stop the sobbing. "There is nothing but emptyness. And my parents wishes were silenced before i saw the light of day." Shiro arose again and walked up in front of the desk, hands folded behind his back, and a somewhat frightning look to his cold stare. "You know I can appear, and disappear, when needed. So let us be your eyes in the darkness, the tools that perform tasks too dirty for that register you keep. Let us walk the gray area of the law of nations. All under your command. And with time we'll continue to prove our merit to you. Untill the very mention of ghosts alone will scare adversaries into immediate surrender. Whatever task you hand to me, it shall be furfilled. Kage-sama" Shiro bowed, and so did the other members of his gang. "Accept us as the ghosts which haunt the mountain, forever looking over each and every rock no matter its size." Keru: Yukan would pay no mind to the youth’s plea’s he would just continue to diligently work on what was once before just a simple empty piece of parchment paper. Every so often he would look up at them and gave off a big of a smirking snort, Yukan would masterfully dip his quill into the ink as he continued to etch out the contents onto the paper and after about 7 minutes of a constant scratching sound and also a tapping sound of which both his quill and heavy handedness played a part of. Yukan’s brown hues would shift in-between the children who stood before him and he spoke loud enough for the entire room to speak. “ANBU take your leave, have tomorrow off and the next proceeding day I want sweeps of the lower areas of Iwa for criminal activity. If said crime is severe enough then you shall bring the assailant to me and I shall deal with him personally, if not jail him and let the jury of his peers decide his fate. DISMISSED!” All of the ANBU present within the room would stiffen their bodies and give the Kage customary Japanese bow before all of them poofed into a large cloud of combined smoke and they disappeared. Yukan would slightly elevate from his seat and he flipped the position of the document and slide it to the edge of the desk so it was visible by the rest of the youth in front of him. Afterwards he also made the pen and quill skid to the edge of the desk. As they peered to look at said document it would be read upon it. “Earth’s Coffin. The newly formed group under direct command of the Tsuchikage himself Yukan Uzumaki but the person who runs the battalion is Shiro Kurama and only he has the power to control who enters and exits the mercenary group upon entering the lifestyle. This group is to report to the Tsuchikage Yukan Uzumaki every month on the 5th to give a status report/financial report on all of the happenings and jobs they have taken. This being vital to the process of making Iwagakure a better place which is ultimately the reason this group will be formed today. All of the current 5 members which will be the maximum until the Kage has given word otherwise must sign into each dotted area below this document in their own blood. This is the seal of their commitment and absolute love of their homeland, you shall be considered a mercenary group by the public eye but you are under the hand of the Tsuchikage. If you have the freedom of traveling, but if you are offered a job to offer Iwagakure itself or its surrounding villages you must kill said offerer there and then. People like such should be treated with no mercy. All parties agree to the conditions and agreements. Yukan had already signed his name in cursive, sloppy since he was never the best with writing dexterity but never the less his signature. Now he simply looked at them with serious eyes staring at each one for a good interval as he awaited the final rebuttal. Heki: Shiro looked up with a hint of surprise as the Tsuchikage continued to scribble on parchment. And was actually unsure of what was to follow in this moment. The Kage proved to be a unique man in the best of ways, a man worth serving, so now only the final chapter of this opening remained. Every single one of the following minutes was antagonizing. Would all of the youths their combined effort have been for nothing? Or did Shiro's plan work out in the end? Finally the contract was shown to Shiro and the others, and immediatly his eye fell on the words "Earth's Coffin." And as he continued reading he stopped feeling any pain in his bruised body and swelled with hope in the possibilities presented. Now there could truely make a difference. Mercenaries to the public eye while forever loyal to the Tsuchikage, perfect. Shiro wasted no time in stabbing the pencil through his palm and wrote down his name in sloped and elegant writing. Next followed the other three, and then the kid who was slapped back awake. "G.H.O.S.T is no more. And there is no more room for childsplay. From now on we strife for absolute completion of the goals set by our leader, the Tsuchikage. All of Earth's Coffin who dishonor Iwagakure will find death by my blade immediatly. So join me. And step with me into a new dawn of time. " And on those final words Shiro bowed again before turning around and heading to the door, leaving the other four teenagers dumbfounded for they hadn't been excused yet. Then with a cold glare the white-haired youth gazed back over his shoulder and at the Tsuchikage. "We'll be taking our leave now. We have work to do." Before vanishing in a cloud of smoke, followed by the other four who all made a very deep bow to the kage before departure while speaking in unison. "We'll serve you well, Lord."